Only A Matter Of Time
by LoveHGSS
Summary: From Remus' POV. Teddy helps push things along with his Daddy and a certain bushy-haired woman. Chunks of DH missing obviously. M for a reason. Enjoy.


Disclaimer – I do not own anything to do with Harry Potter, that belongs to J.K. Rowling and company. The plot is mine, however.

Let's just disregard that little part in DH where our favorite werewolf dies, shall we? Oh, and the epilogue…? That didn't happen either. Just a touch of Tonks-bashing. Hope you enjoy! Read and review please!!!

The boyfriends BETA patience only go so far, so no BETA…. Any grammatical errors or misspellings are mine.

**Warning – 18 and over readers only, please. M for sexual content and language.**

_Remus' P.O.V._

Strawberries, fresh linen, and that delicious new-book-smell; the mixture was intoxicating and maddening at the same time for me. Every morning _**she**_ would always walk past my room at Grimmauld Place in order to get downstairs, and every night going up to her room. And what do I do? I leave the damn door open every time. Why? Because I am an idiot… oh sure there's a hundred other reasons, but what it really comes down to is I am a full-blown idiot.

I, Remus John Lupin, the local werewolf, am a widower with a son, and I am hopelessly in love with the one and only Hermione Granger.

There are good days and bad days of being in love with a woman who sees you simply as their housemate and previous professor. Yes, I know… _professor_. Did I mention I am an idiot?

Today is a good day so far. But then again, I have yet to leave my room. Teddy, my son, isn't awake yet, so I'm having a bit of relaxing morning, just lounging on my bed. I'm sure within the next hour, however, my four year old son is going to come running into my room, chocolate all over his face and hands. He is my son after all, there is no doubt about that. And let me tell you, in the beginning there was _a lot_ of doubt.

Not to speak ill of my deceased wife, but she was known to get around a bit… even after we were married. Which was fine… sort of. I don't wish to tarnish her memory, for Tonks was an absolutely wonderful woman, apart from a few fidelity issues, and I have nothing other than many, many nice things to say about her. I loved her, but… but I was never _in love_ with her.

She was warm, sweet, with a bubbly personality, and she claimed she wanted me. I had no other options, and I figured that one day I would learn to love her the way that she needed me to. We discussed that many times, and she was always willing to wait. I must say, I was indeed a bit confused as to how she could love me so deeply, but sleep with other men. I never let on that I knew she was sleeping with them, but I knew, for there was incontrovertible evidence that supported my theories. Still, she loved me with all of her heart. The only regret I have is not being able to give that to her before she died, for she gave me the greatest gift… my son.

I am embarrassed to admit I performed a paternity spell on Teddy while Tonks was asleep, just after he was born. I couldn't tell you a happier day in my life other than that, though. It was clear from day one that he had inherited Tonks' ability to morph her appearance, and now he could almost do as much as she could, but it still changed without him meaning to when his moods would shift. It was as if he had a mood ring for the entire world to see. It made it easier to tell when he was guilty or upset, though, a perk any parent would be happy to have. Although he can change at will, his 'normal look' is identical to me… almost like having a very small clone of myself.

Teddy gets along very well Hermione. They're always laughing, singing songs, playing in the back yard, cooking up some seriously odd concoctions that actually end up tasting pretty good most of the time, if I do say so myself. Hermione had moved into Grimmauld Place scarcely a year after the war had ended. She had gone back to school, along with Harry, to finish the year they had missed. Ron, on the other hand, took the deal the Ministry had offered all three: We say you're graduated, you go into Auror Training to boost morale.

Harry had been tempted, but when Kingsley told him that, even if he didn't take the deal then, he could still apply when he was done with Hogwarts. Hermione, never really one to pass up a chance to continue her education, declined the deal immediately. Ron and Hermione had grown apart very quickly; Ron couldn't stand not having his 'girlfriend' around 24/7 to take care of him, and Hermione hated being bothered by the owls he would send at odd hours of the night when she had so much work and studying to get done. The relationship had ended before Hermione shook the Headmistress's hand at the graduating ceremony.

And then she moved in here. Along with Harry and Ginny, of course.

Just before Harry went back to school, he asked if I would be willing to stay here while he was at school, to look after the dilapidated house. He might have said it was for him, but I know deep down he was telling me I always had a place to stay, my son included. I know Harry wouldn't want his Godson to go without a home. Not that he wouldn't have had a home to begin with, but Harry's invitation was one I couldn't refuse.

I would have simply stayed in the house Tonks and I had lived in before her death, but Andromeda had insisted that Teddy and I move in, and after all she went through, I felt obligated to do so. Although I love Tonks' mother, she is a bit of a handful sometimes, and being in a house with just my son and I for a bit of time was nice. But that's nothing compared to what it's like having Hermione, Harry, and Ginny around for company.

Somewhere in the past four years, I realized that Hermione had grown into the most beautiful _woman_ I have ever seen. Although her hair was still a bit of a mess, it was the kind of mess you wanted to dive into and get lost for hours. She was brilliant and funny, serious but lighthearted. She loves unconditionally and passionately. I can't tell you the hours her and I have put in together, sitting in the library or kitchen with a steaming cup of tea, just talking of trivial things. There are some days that we delve into deep conversation and get lost in each other's sentences, not able to stop the conversation until wee hours of the morning.

"Daddy!"

I looked to the excited voice coming from the doorway. There's my little guy. Oh, and what do you know… chocolate. His little fists were hiding behind his back, and even if it weren't for the smudges on his face, his hair was slowly turning from its sandy blonde color to a light yellow. Guilty.

"What's up, big guy?" I asked, swinging my legs off the bed and planting my feet on the ground, sitting up.

"Naw much," he said, cracking a shy grin.

"What have you been up to this morning?"

Oh, would you look at that… canary yellow. "Playing wif Hermimey."

"Oh, were you now?" I questioned, trying not to chuckle at the mispronunciation.

"Yes, sir," he replied promptly.

"What were you two doing up so early?"

"Playing," he said, a crooked smile appearing on his cherub face.

"What were you playing? Eat as much chocolate as you can find for breakfast again?" I asked with a laugh.

His silvery-blue eyes widened. "It's a posserbility."

"Possibility," I corrected. "I have a new game we can play, Teddy."

He seemed to perk considerably. "What's that, Daddy?"

"Detective," I whispered, making it sound exciting and dangerous at the same time.

His chocolate covered hands came around to cover his mouth. "No, that's okay, Daddy."

I smiled, surprised he remembered the very few times I took this route in having him admit he ate chocolate for breakfast. "Why not, son?"

"Bahcause…. Okay, Daddy, Hermimey and I played the game."

"The chocolate game?"

"No, the deflective game," he admitted, looking down to his tennis shoes.

"Oh, so you played the chocolate game by yourself this morning, did you?" I asked, really trying to keep my laughter to myself.

"Yes, sir," he mumbled.

"Come here, Teddy," I said lightly.

He slowly shuffled his way to me. I waited until he was directly in front of me before scooping him up into my arms, hugging him to me.

"It's all right, son, I know your love for chocolate in the mornings. I'm not mad."

"Really?" he asked, staring up at me with those big childlike eyes.

"Really."

He breathed out as though he had been holding his breath. "Hermimey wasn't mad neither."

"Either," I corrected.

"That's what I said," my son replied.

I chose to ignore that. "Well, that's good. Does she ever get mad, though?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Sometimes I think," he said slowly.

"But not at you, right?"

"No, but she's mad at you," he said, a mocking glint in his eye catching me off guard a bit. I noticed his hair had gone back to its sandy color, so he wasn't lying.

"Why is Hermione angry with me?" I asked, genuinely curious as to where my four year old is coming up with this.

"She was yelling at the kishen, and –."

"Sorry," I cut across him. "But she was yelling the _kitchen_?"

"Yeah," he said, rolling his eyes. "She was in there all alone, so she was yelling at kishen, Dad."

"Of course," I murmured. Hermione _did_ have a tendency to talk out-loud when she thought she was alone.

"She was yelling at the kishen about _you_."

"And what was she saying?" I pressed.

"She was saying she was into love with you, and she felt silly, and that you didn't love her neither," he said, his face turning into a frown. "That's not true, is it, Daddy? You don't love Hermimey?"

I couldn't help but stare at my son, a little dumbfounded. "I… of course I do, Teddy."

"Good!" he exclaimed. "Now she really _can_ be my mommy!"

"What?" I asked on pure reflex, not completely allowing the sentence to sink in.

"I askeded Hermimey to be my mommy, and she said that wants to, but she couldn't bahcause… uhm… bahcause two peoples has to love each other to have a daddy _and_ a mommy. She said that Mommy loves me lots, and so does she. But bahcause you love her now, she really _can_ be my mommy!"

I didn't even realize that my son had left the room for at least a good five minutes before I came out of the daze I was in. I felt like I had been hit upside the head with a very large… _something_. The last thing I remember was Teddy looking at me expectantly, but after a moment frowning. I seem to recall him calling my name a few times, but I was too shocked to reply. But now I can hear footsteps, so maybe he just had to go to the bathroom….

"Remus?"

Oh, bloody hell. Why now? No, no, no, she cannot be coming to see me _now_. I am a bloody mess!

"Remus?" I could hear her voice getting closer.

I opened my mouth to reply, to tell her I'm in here, but I'm not decent so please run the other way… quickly. I did not want her to see me as a confused, dumbfounded, idiot. Ah… there was the beautiful smell….

Oh, shit.

"Remus!" she exclaimed as she reached my doorway. "Are you all right?"

I simply stared at her, my mouth falling open a bit to reply… still nothing. Bloody hell, why did she have to be wearing that tight little black t-shirt with that swooping neckline, and those _jeans_? I'll just assume she's trying to give me a heart attack. What _really_ didn't help, though, was that she quickly came into the room, knelt down in front of me, and placed her beautiful, dainty hands upon my face, her caramel swirl eyes mere inches from mine. Her eyes penetrated me, searching my face for something that I'm sure she'd never find… sanity.

Everything in that moment seemed to freeze. All I could see was Hermione; her beautiful face, her striking eyes that were holding nothing other than concern and worry, her small hands against my cheeks. I wondered briefly if she was looking at me the same way, for she was not saying anything at all, just looking back at me, her eyes probing mine. I suddenly felt like crying for some reason. I could feel the sting behind my eyes and the tingling in my nose, something I had not felt in a very long time. But for some reason, I felt as though these would be not sad tears, but hopeful tears… happy tears maybe. I didn't know _why_, exactly…. But it could have something to do with Hermione's warm hands on my face, hers not more than five inches away from mine.

I finally managed to find my voice, although it was barely over a whisper. "I'd like to ask you something, Hermione."

"Anything," she replied quickly.

"Why were you yelling at the kitchen?" Smooth, Remus, smooth.

She looked at me as though I were insane, which was probably not far from the truth at this point. "What are you talking about, Remus? Are you okay? Teddy came running into the kitchen, saying something about you telling him he could have two mothers."

"He barged in here this morning, chocolate covered, rambling on about you yelling at the kitchen." I think I'll change my middle name to smooth.

"I still don't understand, Remus. And you didn't answer my questions. Are you all right?"

"No," I replied, not quite knowing how to word my next sentence. I figured maybe just being blunt about it might work the best. Get it out there, you know. "Teddy said he asked you to be his mother and I was –."

"Oh, Remus, I didn't mean to –."

"Hermione," I said, cutting her off. "You didn't do anything wrong." I sighed, frustrated this wasn't working. "Let me start over…. Teddy told me that he walked in one morning while you were talking out loud, in the kitchen."

"Okay…," she said slowly, showing her apparent confusion.

It was bloody torturous trying to form a coherent thought with her hands still on my face. "You were yelling about me. It was the same day he asked you to be his mother."

Her eyebrows came together. Ah, yes, I know this look; it's the look of deep concentration. Her mouth pursed ever so slightly and her eyes narrowed just a bit. And in 3 – 2 – 1. Bingo. Her eyes widened to a size I don't think I have ever seen, realization hitting her.

"Oh," she said simply.

"Hermione," I chuckled, "for someone as… verbose as you, that seems like an odd reply. May I ask you a question?"

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes not meeting mine anymore.

"Did you mean it?"

Her eyes raised to glance into mine quickly before looking away again. "Mean what?"

"That you love me?" I asked in a whisper.

"Of course I did. You, Teddy, Harry, Ginny, everyone here I love, Remus, you know that." I knew her well enough to know she was hedging.

"That's not what I meant," I said.

"I know," she admitted.

Now I was starting to wonder whether or not Teddy had actually heard what he had said…. Maybe he was just confused. He did tend to get his words a bit backwards sometimes, but then again, he was _very_ bright.

"Do you?" I asked again.

"I just said that –."

"Do you love me, Hermione?" I asked, louder than I had expected myself to. Apparently, she wasn't expecting it either, for her head whipped up, her eyes locking onto mine. Oh, Merlin, she was crying… I… I am a man, I don't know how to deal with _that_. What does that even mean?

"Yes," she whispered.

"How so?" I asked.

"Remus, you need to understand that –."

"Hermione!" Damn blasted women… they always have to carry on and explain _everything_. For future reference, just a yes or no or very _simple_ answer will do. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to yell. I just need to know if –."

"Yes, I have fallen in love with you Remus," she blurted out, sufficiently silencing me.

Tears ran down her face as she looked away from me. I can't say that was the answer I was expecting. I was expecting her to tell me how stupid I was, how she could never see herself falling for an idiotic older man who she saw as nothing more than Harry's Godfather's best friend. I know it's silly, but I never really thought she would reciprocate my feelings.

However, now that she had, all the signs flew to the forefront of my mind. I wasn't alone in those late night conversations, she took impeccable care of my son, she was constantly watching out for my well-being by making my Wolfsbane potion, and lastly it was there in her eyes… I wondered if I my eyes held the same look. But even if they did, they could never compare to the beauty of hers.

"Remus, please say something."

I pulled myself out of my internal monologue to glance down at Hermione, still kneeling before me, her hands placed on my face, but her eyes still not looking at me. My hand shook as I put my fingertips under her chin, forcing her tear-stained face to parallel mine. I searched her face for a moment, and thought of smacking myself for not noticing that the passionate, unconditional love in her eyes was… well… it was for _me_.

"I'm in love with you, too, Hermione," I managed to squeak out. I was impressed I was able to produce a sound, let alone a sentence.

Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned down, leaving my mouth a mere inch from hers, wanting to give her an option. She held my eyes for only a split second before closing the distance completely, her full mouth meeting mine. I felt a hundred pounds being lifted from me, stars popping into my now closed eyes. I felt like a melodramatic teenager, but it was beautiful.

I pressed back against her lips, feeling the complete fullness of them. I slid my hand from her chin to the back of her neck, begging her not to pull away. I felt her soft, wet tongue run over my bottom lip, and I happily obliged the intrusion. It was all reaction for me; because if at that moment my brain was actually functioning correctly, I probably would be having a mental breakdown. It was so much to take in that I felt lightheaded and dazed. Four years of wanting… of watching and hoping. And here she was, her tongue in my mouth, and amazingly my tongue raised of its own accord to chase hers back into her mouth.

Our heads tilted to either side at the same moment, allowing easier access to each other's mouth. She toyed with me, playing coy and then attacking me. I found it extremely arousing to say the least. My hand ran into her hair, my fingers tangling in her silky locks, hers still on either side of my face. She pulled back from the kiss just enough to suck my bottom lip into her mouth, sucking on it while running her tongue over it. A noise of approval was ripped from somewhere in my chest.

The hand that was not lost in her hair went involuntarily to Hermione's ribs, urging her closer. This time, she obliged me by leaning her lithe torso to mine the best she could from the odd angle. She seemed to realize it was an odd angle, though. For the first time, the kiss was completely broken, and I didn't realize how much oxygen I had lost, but I seemed to need it very badly. Gladly, I noticed I wasn't alone because her chest was rising and falling as rapidly as mine. As soon as her lips were torn from mine, I suddenly had my first clear thought in what felt like an eternity.

"Teddy," I managed, reluctantly pulling my hand from her hair, my voice sounding as though I had run at least ten miles.

Hermione simply smiled, took her hands from my face, pulled her wand from her back pocket, and pointed it towards the door. It closed and I heard the lock click as well as heard her mumble a very strong silencing charm. I would have loved to have seen my face at this moment, for I'm sure I looked quite startled. She leaned over and set her wand on the small side table beside my bed. Her eyes locked onto mine as she stood up, looming over me for a moment, my hand falling from her rib.

Before I registered what was going on, Hermione was settling a knee beside my hip on the bed, and then the other one. Oh, Merlin help me, she was straddling me, her legs underneath her and to either side of me, her bottom resting just above my knees. My eyes closed and I began counting… quickly.

"Remus," she whispered hoarsely. I met her eyes and saw nothing but love and lust. I groaned. "Teddy is in his room with a coloring book and I bribed him with chocolate if he stayed in there until I came and got him." She scooted herself closer to me, sitting up straighter. If she got any closer, her breasts would be in serious danger of connecting with my face. "I left a sandwich, chips, and a few juice boxes for him."

I was too shocked to speak, so I decided just to reclaim her mouth instead. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that she raked her fingers into my hair and deepened the kiss, her tongue searching my mouth. I assumed it was a good thing because when I kissed her back, a small moan escaped from her. My brain was fried and I was basking in glory of her being able to turn me into complete mush.

I was a little startled when I put my hands on her glorious face and felt moisture. I pulled back out of instinct and saw tears coming down her face again.

"Don't cry," I whispered, slowly wiping each of her cheeks with my thumbs and then kissing each cheek in turn. She laughed shakily and closed her eyes, trying to keep tears in I would assume. "Why are you crying?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "I think it's just because I'm so happy to finally be able to tell you that."

"How long have you felt like this?" I asked, not able to contain my curiosity.

"I had a huge crush on you since third year, and it just grew from there," she admitted.

My fingers paused on her face and I stared at her in wonderment. She opened her watery eyes and stared back at me. "Remus, you look like you're going to have a heart attack."

"It's possible," I muttered. "Your third year? Bloody hell."

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I thought I was going to lose it after realizing how I felt, but for you to carry that around for almost a decade…," I trialed off, not sure how to continue.

"How long?" she asked, her head cocking to the side.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure," I answered honestly. "I was interested in you when you went back for your seventh year; I really did enjoy all the owls you would send me. I guess I realized I was in love you about a month after you moved back in here."

"Well," she said seriously, "it was only a matter of time."

"For what?" I asked.

"For this to happen," she whispered before bringing her lips back to mine.

I wasn't _completely _sure what she meant by that, but I decided to deepen the kiss rather than ask. She kissed me back for a moment before pulling back and throwing her arms over her head. Even though it was a clear invitation, I looked into her eyes for permission. She granted it to me and I brought my hands to the hem of that maddening shirt. I took a deep breath, knowing there was no going back after this.

I very slowly slid the shirt upwards, taking my time to take in each inch of her milky skin. I soon realized that she was much more woman than I had originally thought by the time her shirt hit the floor. Her stomach was flat but soft, the curves of her sides well defined. Her breasts were encased in a simple white bra, but I could tell they were much larger than I had pictured.

Before waiting for me to do so, Hermione reached back and unclasped that bra herself, slid it down her arms, and threw it behind her. Thank Merlin for whoever created this beautiful creature in front of me. Her breasts were full, round, and perky with small pink nipples right in the center. I couldn't imagine a more perfect pair. While I ogled her, she took the initiative to try to pull my white t-shirt off me. She groaned when I didn't raise my arms in assistance.

I nearly laughed, but kept it to myself and raised my arms, allowing her to remove the shirt. I'm not what most would call _muscular_ but I pride myself in being toned, at least. I shivered as she dragged her nails lightly along the scars on my shoulders, my chest, my stomach. I had forgotten about those, but Hermione seemed to make me forget anything bad could have ever, or would ever, happen. I grasped her wrists, begging her to stop. I knew I wasn't the best looking man, and the scars just made it worse.

"Remus," she whispered. "Please don't be afraid to let me touch you. I think you are beautiful."

I shuddered in a breath, her wrists still closed tightly in my hands. "Hermione, my scars are not beautiful."

"Your scars remind me how beautiful on the inside you are," she whispered, kissing my cheek.

"I don't understand," I admitted, my grip still not lessening.

"You are such a beautiful person that you would risk your life for what was good, Remus, and I admire you for that. Your _body_ is beautiful. The scars added to that make you perhaps the most gorgeous person I have ever had the _honor_ of knowing."

Her response shocked me so much that I let her hands go. She traced the many scars again, but slowly this time, methodically. While she was doing that, I took in her body once again and noticed something that I didn't quite notice before. She had a scar also. A long, faded one starting right in between her breasts, wrapping underneath the left one, and continuing down her side. I copied her actions, letting my fingertips start at the top of the scar, run down her side, and back again.

I couldn't help myself…. I brought a hand behind her back, pressing her a little closer, and pressed my lips just between her breasts and kissed the topmost part of the scar. I was so lost in my own head I almost jumped when she moaned.

"As much as I am enjoying this, Remus, it's bloody torturous," she breathed.

This time, I didn't feel the need to ask what she meant, for the evidence of my understanding was straining in my jeans. My hands found her hips the same moment her lips found mine, and I pulled her flush against me, both of us moaning at the sensation of skin against skin. Her hands fumbled between our bodies, trying to undo the button to my pants. I smiled against her lips as she made a noise of frustration.

However, I did not laugh as she broke the kiss and reached for her wand. She smiled at the petrified look on my face before kissing me thoroughly. Suddenly, I felt a chill reach my bare leg… wait… bare? Oh, bloody hell the woman used _Divesto_. I realized that this woman, who's womanly … parts… were _very_ near to my erection, was going to be the death of me but I did not care one bit.

For some reason, my hand now being on her bare skin made me comfortable to explore her more thoroughly. My hands traveled very slowly over her small stomach to the underside of her breasts before I hesitated. She took her hands from my chest and grabbed my wrist. We both moaned again as she guided my open hands to her breasts. I squeezed them gently, exploring every inch. She moaned into my mouth and ground her pelvis against mine. I could feel just a light covering of pubic hair as she shifted her hips towards me again.

"You are perfect," I whispered.

"Remus, I want you," she breathed against my lips.

"Lay on your back," I murmured back, pinching her nipples lightly, causing her to moan again.

She shook her head in the negative. "No, I want you _right now_."

I groaned at her words. "Like this?" I asked.

"Yes," she panted, propelling herself into a higher kneeling position, hovering over me.

My hands went to her hips as she pressed herself against me. I took a few deep breaths as she began lowering herself towards my very hardened arousal. I am not a cocky, no pun intended, man, but I must say I am proud of what I have to work with. I mean, I am by no means _very_ well endowed, but I am fairly sure I have just as much, if not more, going for me than most men. And to be honest, I don't think I have _ever_ been this…er… hard before. There was something about Hermione that just seemed to have my manhood growing for joy.

I felt something very wet at my tip and was startled, wondering if perhaps I would even make it to the actual act, when I realized that it was her that was causing the wetness. I was so involved at thinking about the sex rather than actually paying attention to getting there…. She looked down at me, lustfully staring me in the eyes, and I realized she was asking for permission. My grip tightened on her hips as her hands rested on my shoulders. I leaned back a little and pressed her hips down.

I felt like I was going to die of pleasure. I could feel the warmth of her womanhood, which was soaked, I might add, engulf just the tip of me. To explain how it felt guiding her very slowly down the length of my shaft would take me years. She was wet and warm, and oh so very tight. If I didn't know any better I would have guessed her a virgin, and the moaning didn't help either; I wasn't sure who was louder, her or I, but either way it was shooting straight to my groin. I gripped her hips like a dying man, begging her not to move a muscle. I hate to admit that I haven't had sex in almost five years, and I felt like a teenager having sex for the first time.

"You're too beautiful, Hermione," I finally managed.

She smiled and kissed me slowly, bringing her hands to cup my face. I returned the kiss slowly, languidly tasting her mouth. After a moment I broke the kiss and replaced my lips at her neck, leaving a trail of wet kisses, causing her to moan and her lower muscles convulsing around me. I groaned into her neck and gently nudged her hips in an upward motion. She slowly raised herself just a little before dropping back down and placed her lips on mine once more; I gasped at the sensation, as did she.

I felt her set an extremely slow pace, raising herself up before gliding back down, her lips never leaving mine. My arms wrapped around her, holding her body as close as could without affecting her movements. When I felt more in control, I put my hands at her hips again and guided her faster. I just couldn't get over how _slick_ she was, or the moans that were coming from her beautiful mouth.

She broke the kiss, leaning back and letting her head fall backwards. Her breathing was heavy, causing her chest to rise and fall, enticing me. I gave in and dropped my mouth to her breast. She gasped and moaned as I kissed my way to her yummy-looking nipple. I sucked the little pink bud into my mouth and ran my tongue over it. It was a bit difficult to continue my assault on it when Hermione was pumping herself up and down my shaft, ripping moans from my chest against my will.

"Remus," she moaned, "don't stop."

My name rolling off her tongue like that, I don't think I would have been able to stop even if I wanted to. I laved her nipple a bit more quickly to a much approving woman. She rode me faster, moaning and gripping my shoulders to propel herself up before dropping down again. The feeling of her clamping around me nearly lost me everything I had been holding back, but I stayed focused on that one pert nipple.

"Remus," she moaned again. "Oh, Remus that feels so good…."

I groaned as her inner walls convulsed around my shaft. On instinct, my hand traveled to her lower regions of its own accord. I fumbled for only a moment before my thumb found her nether-lips and into her slit. I found her clit quickly, knowing we were both so close, and put a little bit of pressure on it, rubbing it in circles. She cried out and rode me as quickly as she could, and I knew she was there.

She called my name over and over, her walls constricting around me almost painfully, but she was so damn _wet_ that all she did was drive me crazy.

"Remus," she panted. "Come with me, please, come with me."

I raised myself from her breast to breathe, but kept my thumb to work her clit. I felt her muscles spasm and she cried out my name louder than I had heard yet, and she became even wetter than I thought possible. Watching her orgasm, hearing my name from her lips, and the wetness lubricating me even more threw me over the edge. I felt that tightening that I haven't felt in a long time and I spilled into her, calling her name in return.

She collapsed against me, her chest heaving in time with mine. My arms went around her back, holding her more closely against me, reveling in the feel of her warm body against mine. She buried her head into my neck and put her arms around my shoulders, giving me a squeeze. After a moment, the years of work I had done crept up on me, causing a twinge of pain in my back.

"Would you care to lay down with me for a bit?" I asked.

"I'd love to," she whispered into my neck.

I smiled and shifted slightly so I could lay back and my head would be able to reach the pillows. Hermione followed me down, still securely wrapped in my arms. She sighed contently as I heaved my legs onto the bed. We just laid there for an immeasurable amount of time, simply enjoying being with one another before I broke the silence.

"Why did you tell Teddy you wouldn't be his mother?" I asked. I didn't mean it to be so blunt, but it was something that I had meant to ask before she distracted me.

She didn't seem too shocked by the question, however. "Because I didn't want to overstep my bounds, Remus. I love him like he _is_ my son, but I didn't want to confuse him."

"He already thinks you are, you know that?"

"Really?" she asked, now sounding a bit shocked.

"Yes, he often tells me how great of a mother you are, and I rarely correct him anymore. You may not be blood, Hermione, but you are the only mother-like figure he has in his life," I told her honestly.

"But Ginny is here too."

I had to hold back the snort I knew would have come had it not been such a serious discussion. "Ginny is more like a fun aunt, not a mother."

There was a brief silence.

"I wanted to tell him yes," she admitted finally.

"To being his mother?" I asked.

"Yes," she whispered. "I would never leave him, Remus, no matter what happens between us. I love that precious little boy as my own and even if things don't work out between us, I would still want to be in his life, no matter the role."

I considered this for a moment. "Would you adopt him?"

She bolted upright, and I grunted when her hand that was holding her up pressed into my sternum. She seemed to disregard this. "What do you mean?"

"Hermione," I groaned, "I can't breathe."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said frantically. I made a noise of disapproval as she rolled off of me. "We need to talk about this," she reminded me. I turned to my side and smiled as she tangled her legs with mine.

"I meant what I said, Hermione. I've actually been considering this for a year or so," I said honestly. "Asking you to adopt him, that is. I know you love him just as much as I do, and if anything were to happen to me, as much as I love Tonks' mother, I wouldn't want to leave Teddy with her. I trust you beyond anyone and I've never seen Teddy so taken with someone as he is with you."

"Remus that is a lot to ask," she said.

"Hermione, I know," I said sympathetically. "I don't expect you to say yes, I just thought I'd leave the option open."

She mulled this over for a moment. "Are you sure?"

I rolled my eyes. "Teddy needs you in his life, no matter if you and I work out or not. Which, by the way, I'm hoping for the first option. But regardless of that, Teddy does need you, and you need him. I want him to grow up with a mother, and I can't think of a better person than you. Even if things do not work out, I would not keep him from you. I would be sure that you would have at least partial custody so you could see him as much as you'd like, no matter what."

I saw tears building in her eyes. "What happens if you find someone else?"

"Oh, Hermione," I whispered, kissing her forehead. "I don't think that will happen, but if it does, Teddy is half yours. You two _need _each other. Plus, I love _you_, I want _you_. I have wanted no one else in the past four years and I don't see that changing at all."

"Really?" she asked.

"Really," I confirmed, kissing her forehead again.

"I love you, too, Remus," she whispered.

I brushed a curl from her face, tucking it behind her ear before running my fingers over her cheek, memorizing her face.

"Yes," she whispered, a smile forming.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Yes, I'd be more than honored to adopt Teddy… if that's what you want, of course. And Teddy too…."

I answered her with a passionate kiss, and for the first time in my life, I _knew_ everything would be just fine. I _knew_ Hermione and I would make this work… that we would be a family: her, Teddy, and myself, and who knows, maybe a few more little ones. I _knew_ we would live happily ever after. And what more could this old werewolf ask for? "_Nothing_," came a reply somewhere in my mind, and I wholeheartedly agreed.


End file.
